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moritza123: I spend more time on the screenshots than I do on writing - which probably shows in the poor quality of my writing. :p

RGB: It would be a poor idea if the war would start tomorrow, but I admittedly am using my foresight to know that I won't be at war for another 2.5 years at the minimum, possibly longer. The military command obviously just believes there's no serious threat of an invasion on Australia before those island bases are captured. Either way, I should have a sizable army on Australia itself before this is done.

superjames1992: It's slightly frustrating in vanilla because your leadership is limited to just 6 and the tech tree is rather bloated. In HPP I feel like the sky is the limit, even though you can't possibly maintain modern power in every area, you've got more leadership, Open Society gives you +15% research efficiency and the HPP tech tree is more condensed. Australia in HPP definitely adds a good punch to any Allied war effort, if they don't waste their troops defending empty land. New Zealand isn't half bad although their troops tend to be rather obsolete due to poor leadership values - I'll be taking them on as Expeditionaries, I think, as I believe they'll be able to be upgraded with my doctrines if I do.

SSmith: It'll at least give the Japanese a bloody nose trying to take the islands, and hopefully the Royal Navy and I have enough power by then to damage and drive off the landing forces. I may or may not go through with building battleships as I'm concerned about the IJN's carrier fleet - heavies will be sitting ducks - but I'm weighing up my options. I will definitely be strengthening the Navy though, it's just a question of how much tech am I willing to throw at the Naval question. Upgrading my Naval Bombers will be a must.
 
I spend more time on the screenshots than I do on writing - which probably shows in the poor quality of my writing. :p...

...It's slightly frustrating in vanilla because your leadership is limited to just 6 and the tech tree is rather bloated.

Speaking of which, how are you getting the awesome shadowing effects on your images?

I agree that the leadership issue is a poor design choice- specifically, the fact that unless you conquer specific hotspots in the world, you can't really get it increased no matter what you do. I'm about ready to migrate over and start writing HPP AARs over that issue, but they need to get it working with FtM first.
 
Speaking of which, how are you getting the awesome shadowing effects on your images?.

a simple photoshop trick. looks wonderful, though, when used in an AAR. splendid work.
 
a simple photoshop trick. looks wonderful, though, when used in an AAR. splendid work.

Well, I had assumed he could sample the background color of the forum to incorporate that and the shadow as part of the source image, but I was hoping that it would be some forum setting I just didn't know about... or maybe that the foum can support transparency.
 
Speaking of which, how are you getting the awesome shadowing effects on your images?

I agree that the leadership issue is a poor design choice- specifically, the fact that unless you conquer specific hotspots in the world, you can't really get it increased no matter what you do. I'm about ready to migrate over and start writing HPP AARs over that issue, but they need to get it working with FtM first.

a simple photoshop trick. looks wonderful, though, when used in an AAR. splendid work.

Well, I had assumed he could sample the background color of the forum to incorporate that and the shadow as part of the source image, but I was hoping that it would be some forum setting I just didn't know about... or maybe that the foum can support transparency.

As said above, it's a simple photoshop trick. I copy-paste bits together onto a .psd file with transparency active, set any relevant layers to include layer style drop shadow (100% opacity, 135° angle, 5/5 size/distance). For this I like to clip the shadow layer off just 5 pixels from the edge of the popup window, so as to create a more square shadow that looks a bit crisper. The forum supports transparency so I just save to web as a 24-bit .png with transprency activated.

I too am waiting for HPP to come out for FTM in a bug-free format before I start the AAR I was originally planning to do. I just couldn't wait to write something for HOI in the meantime!
 
As said above, it's a simple photoshop trick. I copy-paste bits together onto a .psd file with transparency active, set any relevant layers to include layer style drop shadow (100% opacity, 135° angle, 5/5 size/distance). For this I like to clip the shadow layer off just 5 pixels from the edge of the popup window, so as to create a more square shadow that looks a bit crisper. The forum supports transparency so I just save to web as a 24-bit .png with transprency activated.

Well, you're better at it than me, that's for sure. but let's get back to the game. I have no idea what you're MP gain is. How big are you hoping to get, given the extra time you have?
 
Well, you're better at it than me, that's for sure. but let's get back to the game. I have no idea what you're MP gain is. How big are you hoping to get, given the extra time you have?

Basic MP growth isn't great but it's enough to cover my reserve builds (just not the reinforcements they'll require.) I get something like 2.6 a month, but that will explode to hundreds per month when the draft comes in, which should ensure I have enough manpower to engage in a major campaign. Nonetheless, MP is definitely more limiting than IC, especially in HPP where casualty rates are much higher and I'm planning my military builds accordingly.
 
lmasbanner.png

Chapter 1.2 - Political Turbulence

Although it was hoped that the political situation would calm, Australia would have little such luck in the coming years.

ethiopiasurrenders.png

Italy had annexed the last independent nation of Africa by May 1936, in defiance of the League of Nations.

Despite the League of Nation's repeated warnings, no official action was forthcoming from France or the United Kingdom, nor from the Soviet Union. Australia knew she had little chance operating without the assistance of the Allied Powers, but as one war ended, a second was soon forthcoming.

anincident.png

The Chinese Civil War came to a negotiated (albeit probably temporary) settlement in mid-May.

Growing Japanese and German relations, combined with a continually aggressive position of Japan towards China, meant that the Chinese were forced to unite against growing Japanese ambitions. Australian High Command was skeptical about the ability of the divided and obsolete Chinese Army to resist in the event of an all-out war. Although anti-semitic tensions were growing, neither Australia nor any other power deemed Hitler's National Socialists a severe enough issue to boycott the Olympics.

1936olympics.png

The world joined in the 1936 Olympics and enjoyed the grand celebration with as much vigor as ever.

Moreover, Australia was suddenly plagued by an outbreak of anti-war demonstrations. The people of Australia, in spite of attempts to spread pro-war sentiments, made it clear that the people of Australia were not interested in starting or joining any wars in the near future.

peacedemonstration.png

The people of Australia had demonstratably decided that war was not her path.

No amount of peace or peace-loving would stop Australia's continuing preparations, however. Designs were well underway for Australia's first battleship, designated HMAS BB1 for construction purposes. Naval designers believed the designs wouldn't be ready until 1937 at the earliest, though, and budgets to construct a capital ship had not yet been improved.

battleshipresearch.png

Plans for a new Australian-built capital ship were well underway now.

Shortly after the peace demonstrations, Governor-General Sir Isaac Isaacs saw that time was passing him by, and he was too old to properly govern in these changing times...

isaacisaacsretires.png

Although generally pro-peace, Isaac Isaacs was a competent man - Australia would suffer in his absence.

By the beginning of August 1936, elections would be called early and the appointment of a new Governor-General was underway.

election1936.png

(( This should be the last 1936 update, hopefully it'll pick up speed from here. ))
 
Very interesting! Let me add +1 to the complements on the presentation. The writing is quite good, too, but the look is among the best I've seen.

I appears the Aussies have a good deal more leadership than I've had in Canada (could be the mod, if so, good design choice IMHO), should help you get a nice punch for every MP you spend.

Subscribed.
 
Is a new Governor-General going to be appointed by event, or is the HoS/HoG position counting for that?
 
This whole thing is really making me want to try HPP
 
SSmith: Ah, I forgot to take a screenshot of it it seems, but at this point for whatever reasons, Lyons' SC party is vastly falling in popularity while the SD party's popularity is exploding. I had him call the early elections as a) I'd never tried it before in HPP, b) it seemed like a logical time to try and resolidify support for the ruling party, c) I like the SC advisors for the most part. What I didn't realize is that I would be unable to replace these advisors appointed in the election - my bad.

eqqman: As said before, the Governor-General will be appointed as Head of State by event - the 'Victim of Circumstances' under Joseph Lyon is, I believe, because he's only occupying the post temporarily for gameplay purposes.

InnocentIII: Thanks, although ironically it's usually the writing I aim to excel at with the pictures just as support, I've got little to no experience in this field of writing, so it's a good opportunity for me to flex my brain and improve my trade. HPP vastly improves both Canada and Australia by raising both to the level of 'Regional Power' (+8 leadership on top of HPP's base, which is determined by your education tech IIRC) for a total of 10 leadership. I believe vanilla Canada/Australia only get 6 leadership. The tech tree is a lot more condensed and, if you ask me, logical as well. For army doctrines, instead of having to research about 20 different modules, I've only got 1 strategic doctrine, 1 tank doctrine and 1 infantry doctrine, plus basic training doctrines for security, infantry, artillery, tanks, special forces and officers, with bonuses you get from both.

TKFS: I'm glad! A decent part of this is to try and intrigue people and get people to try HPP, thus why I'm giving you guys a taste of the events that can occur and things that can happen.
 
I had him call the early elections as a) I'd never tried it before in HPP, b) it seemed like a logical time to try and resolidify support for the ruling party, c) I like the SC advisors for the most part. What I didn't realize is that I would be unable to replace these advisors appointed in the election - my bad.

I think Australia was scheduled for an election in 1937, so I'm not sure if that will still happen now - it might, because Australia is unusual in having a 3-year election cycle that needs to be fired by event. I am sure you are supposed to be able to change your cabinet in the usual way after the election is over, so this looks like a little bug - I just tested it out, though, and all you need is a save/reload to sort out the problem. By the way, I assume you fired the decision to end the election? If not, you will get another early election next month... :D
 
Wooo, neutrality!

How did Australia do at the Olympics I wonder :p
 
This is certainly piques my interest in HPP - plus, I've never followed an Australia AAR before. Always seems like an interesting corner of the world to play in: all those islands to defend, the air-sea-land interaction... And, hopefully, the comfort of massive US naval intervention if things don't quite go to plan. ;)
 
Agreed, very nice presentation and I particularly like your header graphic. I am also enjoying your writing style. The shadowing effects are really good as well, I will have to try it out.

I hope you rename your battleship something other than HMAS BB1. Being Aussies, they are sure to have given it a nickname while it was still in construction.

Its Australia Day on Thrusday BTW, expecting an update. :)
 
I think Australia was scheduled for an election in 1937, so I'm not sure if that will still happen now - it might, because Australia is unusual in having a 3-year election cycle that needs to be fired by event. I am sure you are supposed to be able to change your cabinet in the usual way after the election is over, so this looks like a little bug - I just tested it out, though, and all you need is a save/reload to sort out the problem. By the way, I assume you fired the decision to end the election? If not, you will get another early election next month... :D

Ahhhh, I wish I had known that sooner. And yes, I did fire the decision to end the election.

Wooo, neutrality!

How did Australia do at the Olympics I wonder :p

Poorly - just a single bronze medal. :p

Are you going to build battleships?

Maybe - maybe not. You'll have to see what my naval plans are, but I'm definitely going to be building ships.

This is certainly piques my interest in HPP - plus, I've never followed an Australia AAR before. Always seems like an interesting corner of the world to play in: all those islands to defend, the air-sea-land interaction... And, hopefully, the comfort of massive US naval intervention if things don't quite go to plan. ;)

I think Australia is a very underloved country - it's got the manpower and IC to make things happen from relative safety, and even if it all goes completely wrong and Japan invades, it's not too hard to keep them off the confident if you know anything about coastal defence.

Agreed, very nice presentation and I particularly like your header graphic. I am also enjoying your writing style. The shadowing effects are really good as well, I will have to try it out.

I hope you rename your battleship something other than HMAS BB1. Being Aussies, they are sure to have given it a nickname while it was still in construction.

Its Australia Day on Thrusday BTW, expecting an update. :)

Thanks - it's not too hard to do, it just takes a little time to whip everything together.

I don't plan on naming the ships HMAS BB1 (etc), no. Any ships labelled as such will be personally rechristened by me upon commissioning.

I'm hoping to get an update by tonight and, yes, an update in time for Australia Day (in Australia).